Running and donating blood – is it in you to give?
I’ve been a blood donor for longer than I’ve been a runner. I am told most folks don’t really feel any different after donating, but for as long as I have been donating, the morning after I have always been thirsty, and reaching for the top shelf of the pantry could produce a “head rush” like bolting upright from a lying position while bursting into an operetta.
According to my conversations with clinic nurses, when you’re first “down a pint” you are dehydrated, which explains the thirst and head rushes. You have to focus on fluid intake, but general blood volume returns to normal within a few days. However, your blood is essentially diluted because your volume of red blood cells is not replenished for several weeks. Red blood cells are those fabulous vessels that transport oxygen around your body, so you can see why you’d want them; having full blood volume without all of your red blood cells would be a bit like having a complete subway system without enough trains during rush hour.
In talking with other runners, I’ve heard quite a variety of experiences, from one extreme where they didn’t notice anything at all, to the other where they’ve stopped donating completely while in training.
My personal experience is that for a day or two after a donation, I feel lousy when I try to run. After that, I don’t feel bad as such, but my level of effort to maintain the same pace is much higher. When I am running at easy pace, it feels more like moderate pace. Anything harder than easy pace and my legs start to feel like they’ve been filled with cement. When I get into the really intense work, my lungs feel like sieves – unlike when I have asthma symptoms, I feel like I am still able to take big, robust breaths, I just feel like I am not getting anything out of them.
However, this gradually gets better over time, so that in about 2 weeks, I am always back to my old self (your mileage may vary).
Whether or not to donate blood is a very personal decision, and I would never judge anyone for their choice. However, it is worth noting that according to Canadian Blood Services, someone in Canada needs blood approximately once every minute, and 52% of Canadians say they or a family member have needed blood or blood products for some sort of medical treatment .
Giving blood is important to me, and not just because they feed me cookies (although that’s a big part of it). As a member of that not-so-elite 52%, I just happen to have first-hand knowledge of the life-saving power of my donation. It doesn’t conflict with my training; I just make a point of knowing the affects of the donation for me, personally, so that I can time my trips to the clinic accordingly. I joke with my husband that I am getting a 2-week period of “altitude training” without the expense and hassle of flying somewhere for it!